A 14-year-old girl, simply identified as Kosi is set to be married-off to a man 34 years her senior after the man allegedly raped and impregnated her in Asaba, the Delta State Capital.
This was brought to light by Activist Harrison Gwamnishu, who shared the story online. Harrison said Nonye, who is the guardian of the victim has been arrested.
According to Harrison, the victim was impregnated by the man and is reportedly about to be handed out in marriage to him – the man who got her pregnant.
In a video shared online, the guardian, Nonye, and her mother could be seen defending their decision to marry-off the victim.
Nonye said the wedding is going to hold in Anam community in Anambra state on Saturday.
”We know it’s bad but go and tell her that next time she should close her legs because it is not anybody’s fault. We didn’t force her to go and marry”
The guardian said that the girl was not forced into the marriage as she “willingly agreed to marry the man who impregnated her”.
According to the woman, she got married when she was 16 years old and sees nothing wrong with the 14-year-old girl getting married as well.
They dismissed Harrison’s position that the victim cannot give consent at such age and that the marriage is against the Child Rights Act in Delta state.
Nonye and the little girl’s mother insisted that the marriage will hold as scheduled because they are not from Delta, but from Anambra State – apparently insinuating that such marriages are allowed in their community in the state.
Harrison has raised alarm over threat messages sent to him after exposing the case.